High altitude tribal areas and other higher hills here froze as minimum temperature plummeted to minus 11.8 deg C at Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti, while Kalpa in Kinnaur and key tourist resort of Manali recorded a low of minus 4.2 and minus 3.6 deg C, respectively.
The high altitude tribal areas groaned under piercing cold conditions with mercury staying 12 to 18 deg C below freezing point, causing freezing of all natural sources of water and reducing the discharge of water in snow-fed rivers, the weather department said.
Bhuntar recorded minimum temperatures at 1.5 deg C, while Sundernagar and Solan recorded a low of 2.1 deg C and 2.4 deg C, followed bystate capital Shimla 3.4 deg C, Una 4.6 deg C and Dharamsala 5.8 deg C.
Higher reaches in tribal areas and Manali had mild snow fall last night but weather remained dry during the day and mid and lower hills had scattered rains, MeT officials said.
The maximum day temperatures dropped marginally and Manali and Kalpa recorded a high of 7.6 deg C and 8.0 deg C, followed by Shimla 13.2 deg C, Bhuntar 16.5 deg C, Dharamsala 17.6 deg C, Solan 18.5 deg C, Nahan 19.1 deg C and Una 22.0 deg C.
The local MeT officer has predicted dry weather in the region till January15.
